Summary

This made-for-television production -- based on the 1965-1970 comedy series about a bumbling secret agent's misadventures -- continues the story of Maxwell Smart. The program begins in Washington, D.C., at United States Intelligence Agency headquarters as Commander Drury and his colleagues are told by the president that an atmospheric physicist's formula for global climate control is now in the hands of terrorist organization KAOS. In fact, KAOS has created a dangerous weather machine based on Dr. Marcus Hottentot's formula and is demanding a ransom of 250 billion in seven days. It is suspected that there is a double-agent within the agency. Major Preston Waterhouse suggests that an outside agent should pursue the case. Former CONTROL agent 86, Maxwell Smart, is suggested by Major Merriweather as the man for the assignment. As CONTROL was phased out almost twenty years ago, Drury finds it inconceivable that Smart would still be wearing his shoe phone; amazingly, he still is. Commander Drury calls Smart, telling him how the fate of the civilized world is now in his hands. Smart immediately reports to CONTROL's old headquarters, which turns out to be deserted. Meanwhile, Agent 99 deals with book publishers interested in her manuscript, "Out of CONTROL: The Amazing and True Story of America's Most Glamorous Spy." Then, an excited Smart charges into the book office to tell 99 that he may be reactivated. Later, Smart goes into the intelligence office to meet with Drury and Waterhouse. Smart is surprised that Drury doesn't want to use the Cone of Silence for their top-secret conversation. Instead, they use the helicopter-powered "hover cover" to speak, which proves disastrous. Drury tells Smart about KAOS's weather machine and that there is a mole within their organization that got to Hottentot.

Once officially reactivated, Smart is given a week to infiltrate KAOS and destroy the weather machine, which he's told could destroy all life on Earth. New aide Beamish, who considers it an honor to work with Smart, takes him to look at the old CONTROL files. There, Smart runs into old friend Agent 13 and quickly puts him on his team. Then, Beamish and Smart are held up by enemy agent Bronski, who is looking for the Hottentot file. Smart and Bronski get into a fight before Smart captures him. Afterward, Beamish informs Smart that Bronski was considered KAOS's number one killer. At KAOS offices, Conrad Siegfried and agent Shtarker hear about Bronski's bungle, then receive a visit from their secret colleague -- Waterhouse. Just then, Siegfried gets a call from KAOS's new leader, who questions how Smart foiled their plan to get the Hottentot file. Double agent Waterhouse reports that he killed Bronski. Further, he isn't concerned about Smart, having just read a biography that details all of agent 86's habits. Meanwhile, Smart locates the robotic Hymie, wanting to put him on the case. As Waterhouse observes, Smart and Hymie go to meet with Larrabee, who has remained at Control headquarters awaiting new orders for fifteen years. Larrabee makes Smart realize that KAOS blackmailed Hottentot into cooperating with them. Smart, Hymie, and Larrabee go to Dr. Denton to get outfitted with spy equipment. Denton reveals that he spoke with Hottentot the previous day. By tracing the phone call, they're able to get an address for Hottentot. Then, Smart meets 99 for lunch, though Drury prohibits him from telling her about his assignment. Accordingly, Smart must lie to his wife. Afterward, Smart meets up with Hymie at Hottentot's apartment. Just as Smart is questioning Hottentot on who received his formula, the scientist is fatally shot. Before dying, Hottentot is able to reveal that he put his formula in an airport locker and that he didn't know who was behind the scheme. Soon, Drury and Smart meet with the president to discuss Hottentot and the necessity of finding the mole.

That night, KAOS makes another attempt on Smart's life, based on further information from the biography. As agent Veidemeyer is about to get the drop on Smart, 99 knocks out the KAOS killer and tells her husband that she realizes he's been reactivated. Later, Smart begins spouting classified information while sleeping. Suddenly, 99 realizes that what she wrote on Hottentot in her manuscript indicates that the book company has a tie-in to KAOS. Then, at gunpoint, Beamish calls for Smart to meet him in a parking garage. Agent 99 joins her husband as they head to the destination. Just before gunshots are fired at them, 99 suspects they have walked into a trap. Soon, Smart realizes that he's battling Waterhouse, who manages to escape. Smart and 99 go to a trailer park housing Waterhouse's RV, but he drives off before Smart can get inside. After shooting out the RV's tire, 99 notices that Waterhouse has xeroxed pages from her book. Siegfried is upset to hear from Shtarker that Waterhouse has been taken prisoner by Smart. Drury now wonders who at the book company is behind the plot, then hears that Waterhouse has poisoned himself. After officially reactivating 99, Drury brings in professor Helmut Schmelding, the only man capable of dismantling the weather machine. Smart and 99 are shocked to realize that Schmelding is the twin brother of Siegfried. To discuss their future plans, Drury and Smart are taken to Dr. Denton's Hall of Hush, where their muffled words are printed out in midair -- with less-than-successful results.

However, Smart plans to capture Siegfried and substitute Schmelding, whom they'll follow back to KAOS headquarters when he's picked up by Shtarker. After Hymie puts word on the street that Smart will meet with Siegfried, Smart goes to rendezvous with Siegfried in a location that has significant memories for them both. There, Max apprehends Siegfried before bringing in Schmelding. Schmelding, now pretending to be Siegfried, returns to KAOS, claiming to Shtarker that he has killed Smart. Smart and 99 follow Schmelding to KAOS's warehouse and eventually break in. There, 99 realizes that publisher Nicholas Dimente is the mastermind of the KAOS plan, just as Shtarker gleans that Schmelding isn't Siegfried. Then, Dimente arrives with two KAOS henchmen and soon has chained Smart and 99 to a wall alongside Beamish and Schmelding. When 99 asks why Dimente has chosen to control KAOS, he explains his plans to control the weather in order to force people to stay home and read the books he publishes. Left alone, Smart figures out a way to spring them. Then, Smart instructs Schmelding to destroy the weather machine. Smart, 99, and Beamish eventually capture Shtarker and the two KAOS goons before Dimente returns with a gun and knocks out the professor. As Dimente is about to shoot Smart, 99 utilizes the weather machine to send a bolt of lightning through Dimente. As the weather machine turns to manufacturing snow, Smart and 99 share a celebratory embrace. Also, includes an "ABC News Brief" with Tom Jarriel. Includes commercials.